BHUBANESWAR: With the India Meteorological Department (IMD) forecasting heavy rains in southern parts of the state in view of an impending cyclonic storm over south-west Bay of Bengal, the state government on Saturday cancelled the leaves of Agriculture department’s field officials of five districts for five days.
All staff of the department in Malkangiri, Koraput, Rayagada, Gajapati and Ganjam districts will remain on duty on December 3 (Sunday). “In view of possible heavy rain due to impending cyclonic storm over South-West Bay of Bengal, all field officials of the five districts are hereby informed to be on high alert during the IMD’s warning period from December 2 to 6 and sensitise farmers on the advisory issued by the department,” said an official order issued by the Agriculture department.
The decision to cancel the leaves of officials in the five districts was taken at a meeting chaired by the department’s principal secretary Arabinda Padhee who reviewed the situation with officials in the presence of IMD and OUAT officers here.
As late duration paddy is in the ripening stage and fit for harvesting, the department through an advisory has advised farmers of the districts likely to be affected by the cyclonic storm and heavy rainfall to harvest and store their produce in safe and covered places.
Similar steps should be taken for mandia (finger millet) and ripe cotton. The other districts that are likely to experience medium to heavy rainfall are Nabarangpur, Kalahandi, Kandhamal, Nayagarh, Puri, Khurda, Cuttack and Jagatsinghpur.